CHICAGO - Jim Delany has spent more than two decades as commissioner of the Big Ten, overseeing two conference expansions and the formation of the Big Ten Network.

None of it prepared him for the overwhelmingly negative reaction to the conference's new division names.

Delany said during an interview with WGN AM-720 in Chicago on Thursday that the names Legends and Leaders were picked to highlight the conference's rich history, and that "to a great extent it's fallen on deaf ears." Many fans have instead mocked the names and asked officials to reconsider, which Delany said could happen after the first of the year.

"I think we have enough experience with names, and expansion and development of divisions, to know that you never, rarely, get 90 percent approval rating," Delany said during the interview. "But to get a 90 percent non-approval rating was, you know, really surprising."

The league will be split into two divisions beginning next season, when Nebraska becomes the 12th member. The Huskers will be joined by Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Iowa in the Legends Division. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin will comprise the Leaders Division.

At least, assuming those are still the names by then.

"We want to breathe a little bit," Delany said. "I don't think you make a judgment in 48 hours or 72 hours. Eventually we're going to have to address the issue of whether or not it's sustainable, but I don't think that's an issue for today."

Delany said the conference chose the divisions based on parity, rather than geography, which made naming them East-West or North-South impractical. The Big Ten also considered using names of historic players or coaches, but Delany said that would have been "too limiting."

The commissioner also said there was little consideration given to changing the conference name from the Big Ten, unlike in 1990, when Penn State became the 11th member.

Delany said university faculty, presidents and alumni supported keeping "Big Ten" and that it represents a brand rather than the number of institutions. The name change also would have affected the branding of the Big Ten Network, which launched in 2007.

"It's humbling, to say the least, because we're trying to build fan bases, not push them away," Delany said of the uproar caused by the new division names. "I was surprised. I've been around this business a long time, and it's one of the more surprising things."

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December 19th, 2010, 10:15 am

thelomasbrowns

Player of the Year - Offense

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2861

Re: Jim Delany on division names, logo

Worst division names ever--and for Michigan to not even be in the 'leaders' division? You gotta be kidding me.

_________________"Good teams don't worry about a whole lot of stuff. They travel, they play, they win. And it doesn't matter where they go, what the time block is, all those kinds of things. They never seem to bother teams that play well, and we want to be one of those teams." -Jim Caldwell

December 20th, 2010, 12:45 am

WarEr4Christ

QB Coach - Brian Callahan

Joined: October 26th, 2005, 11:48 pmPosts: 3056Location: Elkhart, In.

Re: Jim Delany on division names, logo

How about:

Nuts and Bolts

it's a double meaning.

Nuts for the buckeyes, division of one

Bolts fro everyone else. (ha)

Or nuts and bolts for the heart of American: cars, farms, and factories.

ROTFL: Big Ten confirms it will remain “Legends & Leaders”Posted by John Taylor on January 13, 2011, 6:29 PM EST

Apparently, E. Gordon Gee isn’t the only member of the Big Ten who enjoys making a mockery of himself and the institution he represents. In fact, it appears the whole conference enjoys basking in the knowledge that they will be a laughingstock off the field for at least the next year.

The Big Ten announced in mid-December that the names of its two six-team divisions would be (giggle) “Leaders” and (chuckle) “Legends” (rotflmao). Rightly so, the conference was eviscerated for their insufferable and pretentious choice of names. So much so, in fact, that commissioner Jim Delany acknowledged less than a week later that the fan and media reaction was “surprising” and “humbling”.

Not humbling enough for a change, however.

A Big Ten spokesperson told Brett McMurphy of AOL Fanhouse Thursday that the conference will revisit the division names after the football season. For now, however, the league fully intends to walk around with a “kick me” sign taped firmly to their collective backs.

“Short term there is no plan to change,” assistant commissioner Scott Chipman said. “They will definitely be utilized for the 2011 football season. It would be impossible to measure their sustainability without using them as they were intended to be used. But like any of our branding or marketing efforts, we will continuously review all aspects, conduct market research, and test sustainability.”

Regardless of whether they are used as intended, we can measure the sustainability of “Leaders” and “Legends” right now: they’re not. And it’s laughable for the conference to turn a blind eye to that fact.

We don’t know what’s more embarrassing, the names themselves or the conference’s stubborn refusal to admit a mistake and move on from it.

_________________"When you eat crow, if you put barbecue on it, it's not so bad."-Brady Hoke

January 14th, 2011, 11:40 am

steensn

RIP Killer

Joined: June 26th, 2006, 1:03 pmPosts: 13429

Re: Jim Delany on division names, logo

Guys, it is just short term. They probably are too far into it after they selected them and were moving too far forward with plans. They had plenty of time to think of this round and they obviously failed. I think they realize they really had no better ideas for now.

I think we are overreacting, they said they are going to change it, just not ASAP.

Guys, it is just short term. They probably are too far into it after they selected them and were moving too far forward with plans. They had plenty of time to think of this round and they obviously failed. I think they realize they really had no better ideas for now.

I think we are overreacting, they said they are going to change it, just not ASAP.

Do you honestly think they'll change it at all? Think about it. If they're not going to change it now why would they waste all the money associated with marketing, etc just to change it later? Sorry, I'm just not seeing it.

They could of had a contest amongst fans to come up with names and then have an internet voting campaign to slect the names. Just a thought. I almost get the impression they have spent a bunch of $$$ on the marketing effort with this and there is no turning back.

_________________"When you eat crow, if you put barbecue on it, it's not so bad."-Brady Hoke

January 14th, 2011, 11:59 am

steensn

RIP Killer

Joined: June 26th, 2006, 1:03 pmPosts: 13429

Re: Jim Delany on division names, logo

I honestly think they will change it... you can't brand and sell something people don't like. So yes, I do think it will change. Either way, I don't see a reason to mark them for not doing it yet. I'll give them the chance to fail first.